[Power Amplifier] | Part of Owsley’s P.A. experiments, used at Altamont

Property of Strider Shurtliff

[Power Amplifier]

McIntosh MC-30

Monaural power amplifier (8 x 8 x 13’’). Chrome and black chassis, 300 watts. Tubes: 2-1641 output, 2-12AX7, 12AU7, 12BH7, 5U4. With power supply. Worn and rusted.

An early McIntosh tube amp

Produced from July 1954-1962, MC-30’s were heavily used by the Dead prior to their switch over to solid state power amplifiers. The MC-30’s were, perhaps, how the Dead first came to prefer McIntosh amplifiers, as Owsley Stanley became a convert around the time of the production of the MC-30: “The MC-30 and MC-60 became cornerstones of McIntosh’s amplifier line, and McIntosh also expanded into the home loudspeaker and consumer amplifier/tuner market ... By the early ‘60s, the brand was widely adopted by audiophiles, Bear included” (Jackson 32).

“Big” Steve Parish: “These extremely rare old tube McIntosh amps were purchased by Owsley for his P.A. system experiments at Alembic studios, and were used at Altamont. As the years passed, Bear gave them to Ram Rod to use for his home speaker system.”

REFERENCE

Jackson, Blair, Grateful Dead Gear (2006)

For McIntosh restoration questions, please contact Audio Classics in Binghamton, NY